The United Nations and Recent Developments in the Progressive Development and Codification of International Law
by Mr. Huw Llewellyn
5pm - 6.40pm, 22 November 2024, Friday, Singapore
Allen & Gledhill LLP, One Marina Boulevard, #28-00, Singapore 018989
Due to overwhelming response, registration is closed (as at 17 November 2024)
INTRODUCTION
As 2024 marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the International Law Commission, there is plenty to celebrate in its contribution to the progressive development of international law and its codification, in particular its preparation in earlier decades of the texts that were negotiated into much of the foundational architecture of international law. As the Commission today increasingly enters into newer and more specialised areas of international law, however, States have become more critical of its choice of topics and its outputs. In a geopolitical climate that is not conducive to consensus decision-making, the Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly, the Commission's parent body, has been unable for twenty years to agree that any of the Commission's draft treaty texts during this period is suitable for negotiation by States. Meanwhile, specialised branches of international law have developed, often with their own institutional structures and negotiating fora, where treaties have been successfully concluded.
Against this background, Mr. Huw Llewellyn, recently retired Director of the Codification Division of the UN Office of Legal Affairs, will discuss the value of the Commission's current and more recent outputs, possible topics that the Commission could take up to address the pressing needs of the international community, and the prospects for the Commission / Sixth Committee partnership in carrying out the General Assembly's Article 13.1a UN Charter responsibility to promote the progressive development of international law and its codification.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Huw Llewellyn is a former lawyer and diplomat of the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office (1988 - 2007); was posted as the Legal Adviser at the UK Permanent Missions in Geneva to the United Nations and to the Conference on Disarmament (1994 - 1997); acted as the Agent of the UK government in cases before the European Court of Human Rights, Strasbourg (1998 - 2004); and was posted as the Legal Counsellor at the UK Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (2004 - 2007).
He then joined the UN Secretariat as the Head of the international criminal tribunals team in the UN Office of the Legal Counsel (2007 - 2013); was appointed as the Deputy Director of the Codification Division of the UN Office of Legal Affairs (2013 - 2015); and as Director of the Codification Division of the UN Office of Legal Affairs (2015 - 2024). In the latter position, he was the Secretary of the International Law Commission, the Secretary of the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the UN General Assembly, the Secretary of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations, and the Secretary of the Advisory Committee of the UN Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law. He retired from the UN at the end of September 2024.
He is a solicitor in England and Wales, holds a Bachelors degree in Law (LLB) from the University of Southampton, UK (1981), and a PhD in international law from the University of Leiden, the Netherlands (2019).
MODERATORS
Dinesh Dhillon, Partner, Allen & Gledhill
Dinesh is the Co-Head of the Firm's International Arbitration Practice. He practises international arbitration and litigation. Dinesh is dual qualified in Singapore and the United Kingdom. He is Barrister (Middle Temple) with a practicing certificate issued by the Bar Standards Board with rights of full audience (England and Wales).
He has acted as lead counsel in international arbitration for global multinational corporations in the telecommunications, airline, hotel, commodities, construction, manufacturing and projects industries. He has also represented clients in landmark cases before the Singapore courts relating to jurisdiction of arbitral tribunals, challenges to arbitration awards and attempts to resist enforcement of foreign arbitration awards.
Dinesh has represented multinational companies in cases before the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC), Singapore High Court and Court of Appeal relating to banking, corporate, employment, entertainment, insurance, property and shareholder disputes. He has also acted for statutory boards in judicial review cases.
Charis Tan, Partner, Peter & Kim
Charis specialises in international commercial and investor-State arbitration and public international law.
She is admitted in three jurisdictions (Singapore; England & Wales; New York) and her experience includes investment and commercial arbitrations under the rules of major arbitration institutions, including ICSID, ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, KCAB and SCC, as well as ad hoc proceedings under UNCITRAL Rules. Charis is regularly engaged both as Counsel and Arbitrator.
Charis has acted for States in a variety of cases, including in high profile cases before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), commercial and investor-State proceedings.
Among others, GAR reported that she represented Egypt in a trio of ICSID cases, and defended Slovenia in another ICSID arbitration. She is also currently representing Viet Nam in two ISDS cases. In 2023, she completed duties as a WTO Panellist in DS577 (United States – Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties on Ripe Olives from Spain).
Charis has been named by Who’s Who Legal, GAR, Chambers and Legal 500. An initiative she spearheaded for Government officials won the FT Innovative Lawyers Award. Charis is also editor of Investment Protection in Southeast Asia and Jus Mundi’s Wiki Notes on Investment Law and Arbitration.
PROGRAMME
4.30pm - 5.00pm | Registration and Welcome
5.00pm - 6.00pm | A fireside chat with Mr. Huw Llewellyn, moderated by Mr. Dinesh Dhillon, around the work of the UN and the codification/ development of international law
6.00pm - 6.30pm | Q&A (open to audience questions), moderated by Ms. Charis Tan
6.30pm - 6.40pm | Closing Remarks by Ms. Charis Tan
6.40pm onwards | Drinks and Light Bites, generously hosted by Allen & Gledhill LLP
SILE ACCREDITATION
1.5 Public CPD Point
Practice Area: International Law
Training Category: General
Participants who wish to obtain CPD Points are reminded that they must comply strictly with the Attendance Policy set out in the CPD Guidelines. For this activity, this includes signing in on arrival and signing out at the conclusion of the activity in the manner required by the organiser, and not being absent from the entire activity for more than 15 minutes. Participants who do not comply with the Attendance Policy will not be able to obtain CPD Points for attending the activity. Please refer to http://www.sileCPDcentre.sg for more information.
REGISTRATION
Due to overwhelming response, registration is closed (as at 17 November 2024)